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Another day in Boston and another blizzard—and still, Nacho Patrol journeyed to the mean streets of Cambridge to sample the culinary stylings of Grendel’s Den in Harvard Square.

Nachos were not our only reason to be in Harvard Square. Grendel’s provided an ideal spot to de-thaw while we waited the arrival of the Santa pub-crawl. Nacho Patrol highly recommends the port cider and mulled wine. We wouldn’t have even made it to the nachos, if not for the persistence of guest correspondent Phoebe. Just make sure to cleanse your palate when going from kahlua hot chocolate to guacamole.

Presentation: Colorful swatches of condiments dashed upon the top, arranged in a semi-star-like pattern. A more colorful cheese could have made these more visually stimulating, but overall, certainly attractive (7).

Quality of Toppings: The vegetarian chili contained a variety of beans and was flavorful. The cheese was white cheddar, and not especially high quality. Chips were store-bought and stale, drastically reducing the overall deliciousness. The salsa was nothing to write home about. The guacamole, which first aroused much excitement because it appeared to be made in-house, was shockingly bland. On the whole, disappointing and half-hearted (3).

Distribution of Toppings: The cheese was evenly distributed, but everything else was “distributed” as a large blob. The top layer of chips was unmanageable as presented. Nacho Patrol had to employ chip-handling skills to excavate viable chips from the perimeter and bottom of the plate. Still, we enjoyed being able to mix and match our toppings. (6)

Price: It came to $8 for a very tiny plate of nachos. Especially compared to the behemoth of a nacho that we most recently reviewed for the same price, these were a ripoff (3).

Overall: 19. If you’re craving nachos, Grendel’s is not the answer. Save your money for their great draft list or some hot toasty drinks…